City College of New York Awards
- Project Name: Rapid Processing of Biopolymeric Co-Continuous Filtration Membrane
Awarding Agency: Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Project Summary:
The scope explores the fundamental scientific issues of biopolymer phase separation under confinement, where the processing parameters (membrane thickness, solvent evaporation rate and thermal load) will determine quasi-periodic length scale of the membrane and explore the fundamentals of spinodal decomposition, namely speed and robustness, to develop useful processes for the design of functional silk-based membranes.
Outcome:
Composed 1st manuscript based on silk film phase behavior and reproduced data along two key axes, the concentration of the hydrophobic solvent and the type of hydrophobic solvent and (1) a new apparatus to assess the kinetics of biopolymer phase separation in confined systems, (2) a systematic process for the formation of co-continuous membranes, and (3) a transition plan to develop this technology (if successful) on the small business scale.
- Project Name: Adsorbents for use in Building-Integrated Plant-Based Dynamic Filtration Media for Removing Chemical Warfare Agents Adsorbents for use in Building-Integrated Plant-Based Dynamic Filtration Media for Removing Chemical Warfare Agents
Awarding Agency: Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Project Summary:
The work proposes use of ionic liquids (ILs) to enhance the capture of chemical warfare toxins through the modification of activated carbons and involves the investigation of the IL properties and sorption characteristics in both the neat (IL-only) state and when tethered to the activated carbons and build the underlying foundations for the development of air filters that would capture chemical warfare agents.
Outcome:
The project will investigated the material for both Dimethyl Methylphosphonate (DMMP) capture ability and viability of using the adsorbent material in an engineered soil with plants. The active adsorbent material proposed is AC with ILs tethered to it. The work shall be broken into two main objectives: 1) ILs for capture of DMMP, and 2) Viability of AC-IL systems as components of engineered soil for plant growth. - Project Name: Using the Hard and Soft, Acids and Bases (HSAB) Theory to Predict Organophosphate-Target Interactions
Awarding Agency: Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Project Summary:
The work proposes use of ionic liquids (ILs) to enhance the capture of chemical warfare toxins through the modification of activated carbons and involves the investigation of the IL properties and sorption characteristics in both the neat (IL-only) state and when tethered to the activated carbons and build the underlying foundations for the development of air filters that would capture chemical warfare agents.
Outcome:
The project will investigated the material for both Dimethyl Methylphosphonate (DMMP) capture ability and viability of using the adsorbent material in an engineered soil with plants. The active adsorbent material proposed is AC with ILs tethered to it. The work shall be broken into two main objectives: 1) ILs for capture of DMMP, and 2) Viability of AC-IL systems as components of engineered soil for plant growth. - Project Name: Using the Hard and Soft, Acids and Bases (HSAB) Theory to Predict Organophosphate-Target Interactions
Awarding Agency: Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Project Summary:
This study is directed towards understanding the reactivity of organophosphates with nucleophiles and enzymes. Many chemical toxicants and their active metabolites are electrophiles that lead to cell injury by forming covalent bonds with nucleophilic targets on biological macromolecules (e.g., enzymes). However, covalent reactions between nucleophilic and electrophilic centers are discriminatory since there is a significant degree of selectivity associated with these interactions. The Hard and Soft, Acids and Bases (HSAB) theory is one quantum chemical theory that has been proven to be a useful tool in predicting the outcome of a nucleophilic attack at an electrophilic center. The project proposes to use the HSAB theory of electrophiles and nucleophiles within the toxicological framework of organophosphates and on exploring more involved quantum chemical theories (e.g., transition state theory).
Outcome:
The project completed Computations on the twelve organophosphate pesticide molecules listed in the proposal are finished. The equilibrium molecular geometries for each of the molecules in the gas-phase have been determined at the B3LYP/LANL2DZdp level of theory. The equilibrium molecular geometries for each molecule in solutions have been determined using a polarizable continuum model. - Project Name: AI and Game Theory Based Autonomous CND Software Agents for Dynamic Trust Evaluation
Awarding Agency: US Army Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center
Project Summary:
The goal of this effort is to provide the Warfighter with timely, unique, and efficient weapons in the area of Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) to counter existing and emerging threats in support of a wide range of military operations, across the CEMA battlespace along with providing enemy situation awareness, targeting, and electronic combat technology to ensure improved performance of capabilities. The objective of this PWS is to detail the requirements to assemble autonomous multiUnmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) prototypes using Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) components capable of operating as a swarm to execute coherent, concurrent and distributed RF missions.
Outcome:
Finalized the software code, and simulations delivered to the Government at period-of performance; Completion of development of the models and simulations for high frequency point and tracking (i.e. K – Band) at large scale swarm formations. i.e. K – Band); The Mature software for use case identified by the Government above and with other supplemental information; The Development and mature the necessary AI, game-theory and Bayesian Process that support stable formations for ideal link performance. - Project Name: Noise-Aware, Low-Cost, Low-Power Baseband DSP Hardware using Stochastic Computing
Awarding Agency: US Army Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center
Project Summary:
This project will exploit a novel computing paradigm, namely, stochastic computing (SC) which uses unique data representation and processing techniques with the potential to enable the design of noise-aware low-cost low-power hardware implementations of baseband DSP with orders-of magnitude improvements in energy efficiency, resource efficiency and resiliency. The project's specific tasks are: 1. Cross-level Optimization Techniques for Stochastic Computing Low-complexity Interface Design, 2: Hardware Design of Stochastic-computing-based Baseband DSP System DSP Accelerators Design using Stochastic Computing, and 3. Comprehensive co-optimization framework spanning algorithm and architecture to reduce the imprecision the stochastic baseband DSP.
Outcome:
Developed and built the baseband signal processing blocks of wireless communication that addressed 1. The scaling down problem that was solved by cascading, 2. The high cost for conversion unit by integrating stochastic computing to conventional computing, and 3. The inaccuracy incurred by correlation vs probabilistic theories resulting in inaccuracies from calculating the two-bit streams with correlations by stochastic circuits. - Project Name: Cyber Security Techniques in the SCADA Military Environment
Awarding Agency: US Army Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center
Project Summary:
Supporting national security at military bases and other types of facilities requires resilient secure power generation and renewable energy sources transmitted and distributed in a secure robust SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) control environment. The project's goals are: to perform vulnerabilities assessment and mitigation strategies in SCADA environment using popular smart grid protocols including Modbus, DNP3 and IEC 61850 and 2. Phase 1/year 1 will be to research, identify and test potential vulnerabilities associated with smart grid implementations involving major communication protocols.
Outcome:
Developed detection and mitigation software algorithms while incorporating software add-ons detection, mitigation, and tolerance tools. This software achieved a resilient and secure SCADA system. - Project Name: Using the Hard and Soft, Acids and Bases (HSAB) Theory to Predict Organophosphate Target Interactions
Awarding Agency: Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Project Summary:
This study is directed towards understanding the reactivity of organophosphates towards nucleophiles and enzymes. Many chemical toxicants and their active metabolites are electrophiles that lead to cell injury by forming covalent bonds with nucleophilic targets on biological macromolecules (e.g., enzymes). The Hard and Soft, Acids and Bases (HSAB) theory is one quantum chemical theory that has been proven to be a useful tool in predicting the outcome of a nucleophilic attack at an electrophilic center. The research will use the HSAB theory of electrophiles and nucleophiles within the toxicological framework of organophosphates.
Outcome:
The synthesis of the five (5) pyrophosphonates took 2-3 weeks per compound while the kinetic experiments will began once the five (5) compounds had been synthesized, These experiments were comprised of analytical methods (GC-FID) for the pyrophosphonates after a few weeks to develop good methods for quantifying the degradation products (LC-MS/MS; e.g., O-ethyl methyl phosphonate). - Project Name: Compact Microparticle Random-Walk Antenna (CuP-RWA) for Wideband Radio-Frequency Communications
Awarding Agency: US Army Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center
Project Summary:
It is well-known that the size of an antenna generally scales with the electromagnetic (EM) waves to be transmitted or received. As a consequence, the length of an antenna can become prohibitively large if longer wavelengths are to be used. EM waves of longer wavelengths are known to possess desirable propagation characteristics. The project will explore a novel antenna structure which would potentially allow a wide spectrum of EM waves to be intercepted and utilized for communications with much smaller antenna in size. The structure of the antenna is referred to as a compact microparticle random-walk antenna (abbreviated CuP-RWA).
Outcome:
The deliverables of this project include the findings of the compact antenna length and structure including the annual reports that quantitatively explains the RF transmission and/or reception capabilities of the compact antenna (CuP-RWA) as a function of frequency/wavelength, distance, and other factors. Additional variables such as size, weight, and power advantages of the CuP-RWA will be considered going forward. - Project Name: Design, Development, Prototyping and Testing of Smart Sensors
Awarding Agency: Office of Naval Research
Project Summary:
The advancing frontiers in nanotechnology research and applications have also been of unprecedented interest to the Department of Defense (DoD), especially the ARO, ONR and AFOSR with interest in novel methods of detecting and detoxifying chemical or biological analytes, and new devices for aiding in military operations on land, water, and air. There is a need to develop cutting-edge technology that aligns with the vision and needs of DoD, fundamental research pertaining to novel nanomaterial growth, and integrated modes of sensing is mandated where the utilization of nanomaterials for sensor fabrication would reduce the payload and provide a cost-effective yet suitable alternative to traditional bulky systems for hazardous compound detection.
Outcome:
The research addressed the explosive and hazardous materials detention as follows: utilized functionalized nanowires to fabricate a multi-analyte sensor system to detect explosive and hazardous materials. The proposed multi-analyte nano-sensor will have excellent sensitivity, time-response, lowpower, and compactness for maritime UUV explorations and platform is to develop bio-inspired nano-sensors that are fully integrated in embedded 3D packaging module with AI signal processing capability. The bio-inspiration enables a low-power embedded computation by only using the AI capability triggered by the threshold crossings of an integrated sensor reading. - Project Name: Development of Sustainable Heat Pump Systems for Electrified Transitions in Winter Markets
Awarding Agency: Department of Energy
Project Summary:
Heating of buildings in winter markets remains among the most intensive greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting activities. Heating systems can contribute 20% of total to GHG emission inventory due to the reliance on carbon-intensive natural. Air-source heat pumps offer benefits over traditional systems, but their performance and efficiency are reduced in cold climates. Transcritical carbon dioxide (TR-CO2) systems are increasingly being adopted in food service or food retail environments due to lower operating costs (lower material costs and system efficiency). The objectives of this project are: Design, develop, prototype and test electrical heat pumps for hot water and space heating. Systems should specifically focus on the use of transcritical carbon dioxide (TR-CO2) systems.
Outcome:
The project completed the following research objectives in the first year 1. Development of Experimental Testbed, 2. Computer Modeling and Validation, and 3. Building Level Modeling, In the second year, the project achieved: 1. Full scale design and engineering of field deployment unit, 2. System benchmarking and safety testing Pilot units, and 3. Pilot residential installation. - Project Name: AI and Game Theory Based Autonomous CND Software Agents for Dynamic Trust Evaluation
Awarding Agency: US Army Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center
Project Summary:
The project introduces artificial intelligence and game theory-based flight control algorithms to run autonomous swarms of deployed autonomous UAVs to determine local actions in near real-time spatial, temporal, and electromagnetic information. Typical tasks for swarms using this algorithm include detection, localization, and tracking of mobile transmitters and are good candidates for civilian and military applications that require agile responses to dynamic environmental changes.
Outcome:
The project completed the following research objectives in the first year 1. Development of Experimental Testbed, 2. Computer Modeling and Validation, and 3. Building Level Modeling, In the second year, the project achieved: 1. Full scale design and engineering of field deployment unit, 2. System benchmarking and safety testing Pilot units, and 3. Pilot residential installation.
